Induction Heating Hair Styling Systems and Method

ABSTRACT

A hair treatment system having a hair iron comprising a handle portion and a hair treatment portion, wherein the hair treatment portion comprises an electrically conductive material; an induction oven comprising: an internal cavity into which at least a portion of the hair iron is removably insertable; an induction coil encircling the cavity of the oven; and an alternating current generator electrically connected to the induction coil. A method for heating a hair treatment device with steps: inserting a hair treatment portion of a hair treatment device into a cavity of an induction oven, wherein the hair treatment portion comprises an electrically conductive material; and alternating current in an induction coil of the induction oven, whereby eddy currents are generated on the surface and hysterisis within the metal of the hair treatment portion of the hair treatment device.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The invention relates generally to systems and methods for styling hair, and more particularly in one exemplary embodiment, to systems and methods including use of a hair iron system including an induction coil to heat a portion of the hair iron to achieved a desired effect, e.g., hair curling, straightening, combing, etc.

BACKGROUND

A hair iron is a tool that may be used to change the structure of hair, usually human hair, with the help of heat. For convenience only reference herein to “hair” shall refer to human hair; however, it should be understood that the present invention is not so limited, as the invention encompasses systems and methods adapted for or otherwise related to hair of any type, color, length, etc.

Examples of hair irons include straightening irons for straightening hair, and curling irons to make hair curly. Straightening irons also may be called flat irons.

Early hair irons used chemicals and other substances to straighten hair. Hair iron use with chemicals use, however, often resulted in scorching or other unwanted damage to hair. Heated metal hair care implements, such as hot metal combs, subsequently were developed. Heated metal straighteners slid through hair relatively easily and may have caused less damage and dryness than previously used irons. Later, ceramic and electrical straighteners were introduced, allowing for adjustment of heat settings.

While some consumer grade hair irons (intended for home use by consumers) are heated with an electric heating element integrated into the hair iron, some professional grade hair irons (intended for use in salons, or by stylists) are heated with an oven or stove. Conventional hair iron ovens and stoves employ resistive heating coils to produce the heat necessary to raise the temperature of hair irons.

Conventional ovens and stoves used to heat hair irons may be inefficient and may produce substantial undesired external heat. Conventional stoves for heating hair irons in the professional hair care business, for example, may have limited efficiency, e.g., estimated at approximately 20 percent. Also, the exterior temperature proximate a professional grade hair iron stove undesirably may be quite high, e.g., estimated to exceed 600° F. or more. In addition, the heating time for conventional hair irons stoves may be undesirably long.

Conventional hair iron stoves typically are insulated with thermal insulation. To combat unwanted exterior heating produced by conventional hair iron stoves, the thermal insulation often is relatively thick, thus making the overall dimensions of the stove undesirably large. Moreover, such thermal insulation does not address the inefficiency associated with conventional stoves having resistive heating coils.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides hair styling systems and methods. In one exemplary embodiment, an induction coil is used to heat a portion of a hair styling device.

In another exemplary embodiment, an induction coil may be housed within a stove portion. In one exemplary aspect, the stove portion may include a receiving portion within which a portion of a hair styling device may be removably placed. In another exemplary aspect, the stove portion may define a cavity portion into which a portion of the hair styling device may be removably placed.

Other benefits and advantages of the present disclosure will be appreciated from the following detailed description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 an example of an inductively heated hair iron system, shown in part in block diagram form.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a second perspective view of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a third perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, shown in part in cutaway views of portions thereof.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of heating a hair iron using the exemplary system described in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary hair styling device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary hair styling device.

FIG. 8A is a partially exploded perspective view of an example of an inductively heated hair iron system, shown in part in cutaway views of, and in part in block form for, portions thereof.

FIG. 8B is a front view of exterior portions of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8A, shown in part in cutaway view of, and in part in hidden lines for, portions thereof.

FIG. 8C is a second front view of exterior portions of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8A, shown in part in cutaway view of, and in part in hidden lines for, portions thereof.

FIG. 8D is a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8A, shown in part in cutaway view of, and in part in hidden lines for, portions thereof.

FIG. 8E is a side view of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8A, shown in part in cutaway view of, and in part in ghosted lines for, portions thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention and various alternatives are described. Those skilled in the art will recognize, given the teachings herein, that numerous alternatives and equivalents exist which do not depart from the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention not be limited by the description set forth herein or below.

One or more specific embodiments of the system and method will be described below. These described embodiments are only exemplary of the present disclosure. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

Further, for clarity and convenience only, and without limitation, the disclosure (including the drawings) sets forth exemplary representations of only certain aspects of events and/or circumstances related to this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will recognize, given the teachings herein, additional such aspects, events and/or circumstances related to this disclosure, e.g., additional elements of the devices described; events occurring related to hair styling or device use; etc. Such aspects related to this disclosure do not depart from the invention, and it is therefore intended that the invention not be limited by the certain aspects set forth of the events and circumstances related to this disclosure.

In one aspect, this disclosure describes a hair treatment system including (a) a hair iron comprising a handle portion and a hair treatment portion, wherein the hair treatment portion comprises an electrically conductive material; and (b) an induction stove comprising: (i) a cavity into which at least a portion of the iron is insertable; (ii) an induction coil encircling the cavity; and (c) an alternating current generator electrically connected to the induction coil.

In another aspect, a hair iron induction stove comprises: (a) an oven housing comprising an internal cavity into which at least a portion of the hair iron is insertable, wherein a shape defined by the cavity of the oven corresponds to a shape defined by a hair treatment portion of the hair iron; (b) an induction coil encircling the cavity of the oven; and (c) an alternating current generator electrically connected to the induction coil.

In another aspect, the alternating current generator generates between 20 kHz and 450 kHz.

In another aspect, a hair iron induction stove includes: an oven housing comprising an induction surface for which at least a portion of a hair iron may be positioned proximate the induction surface; an induction coil proximate the induction surface of the oven; and an alternating current generator electrically connected to the induction coil, wherein the alternating current generator generates between 20 kHz and 450 kHz.

In another aspect, a portion of the induction surface defines a shape that generally corresponds to a shape defined by a hair treatment portion of the hair iron.

In another aspect, a portion of the induction surface is flat or concave.

In another aspect, a method for heating a hair treatment device includes the steps of: inserting a hair treatment portion of a hair treatment device into an induction oven cavity, wherein the hair treatment portion comprises an electrically conductive material; and alternating current in an induction oven induction coil, whereby eddy currents and hysterisis are generated in the hair treatment portion of the hair treatment device.

In another aspect, a hair iron stove includes a stove chassis that defines a cavity or opening. The chassis includes an electromagnet that in part surrounds, or in whole or in part circumvents, the cavity. The electromagnet may include a winding of a conductive element, e.g., copper wire. In further aspect, a copper winding extends around a magnetic core. Additional magnetic elements may be located on or proximate a surface of the winding. For purposes of this disclosure, the term “electromagnet” includes a type of magnet in which a magnetic field portion is produced by a flow of electric current, and the magnetic field portion disappears when the current ceases.

In another aspect, signal generator applies a high frequency alternating current signal to the electromagnet. The alternating current signal in the electromagnet induces a time varying magnetic field within the cavity. The time varying magnetic field, in turn, causes induction heating of a metal portion of a hair iron portion at least partially located within the cavity.

As used herein, the term “induction heating” means a process including a heating of a metal portion, target, or object by electromagnetic induction, by causing eddy currents on the surface, and hysterisis within, the metal. The resistance of the metal leads to Joule heating of the metal. Joule heating, or ohmic heating, generally refers to the increase in temperature of a conductor as a result of resistance to an electrical current flowing through it. At an atomic level, Joule or ohmic heating results from moving electrons colliding with atoms in a conductor, whereupon momentum is transferred to the atom, increasing its kinetic energy.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 describes a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of a hair iron heating system 100. In the depicted embodiment, system 100 includes a stove 101 and a control module 201. Stove 101 includes a stove chassis portion 102 and an inductance element 109. The stove chassis portion 102 defines a cavity 120 formed in a front face of chassis portion 102. Inductance element 109 circumvents or surrounds cavity 120. Cavity 120 is lined with magnetic layer 144.

FIG. 1 further illustrates an embodiment of a control module 201. Control module 201 includes a chassis portion 202 and one or more electronic elements. In the depicted embodiment, for example, control module 201 includes a controller 210 connected to an inductance monitor 204, a temperature monitor 206, and a duration monitor 208.

As depicted in FIG. 1, inductance monitor 204 and temperature monitor 206 are connected to a base plate 108 within the cavity 120 defined by chassis portion 102. Information provided by inductance monitor 204 and temperature monitor 206 may be used by controller 210 to control the application of a high frequency signal to inductance element 109.

A power supply/transformer 220 is connected between an external source of power (e.g., 120 V AC, 60 Hz) and controller 210. A high frequency signal generator 230 connected to controller 210 is enabled to generate a high frequency alternating current signal. The signal produced by generator 230 is applied to inductance element 109. In one embodiment, a frequency of the signal applied to inductance element 109 preferably exceeds approximately 20 kHz and is approximately equal to a resonant frequency associated with inductance element 109. The operating frequency of the power supply may range from 3 kHz to 60 MHz, and in particular, 20 kHz to 450 kHz.

Duration monitor 208, as shown, is connected to controller 210, which is also connected to power supply/transformer 220. Duration monitor 208 may include a clock element to provide a timed method of controlling the application of the high frequency signal of generator 230.

Referring now to FIG. 2 through FIG. 4, various perspective views of an embodiment of system 100 are shown. In the embodiment depicted in these views, chassis 102 of stove 101 is positioned on top of an upper surface of chassis 202 of control module 201. Control module chassis 202 as shown is a substantially cuboid structure including six substantially rectangular and planar faces including a front face 203, a pair of side faces 205, an upper face 209, and a rear face 207. The depicted embodiment of chassis 202 rests on a set of four rubber or other suitable type of feet 232.

The depicted embodiment of control module chassis 202 includes a window 214 covering an opening formed in front face 203 and a panel 212 affixed over an opening in rear face 207. Removal of panel 212 permits service access to electronic elements with the chassis. As seen in FIG. 4 particularly, the depicted embodiment of control module 201 includes a base board or base plate 240 affixed to an interior of the lower face of control module chassis 202 and a power supply board 222, to which a power supply/transformer 220 is attached, affixed to an interior of a side face 205 of chassis 202. In addition, a control board 225 is shown as affixed to an interior of the opposing side face 205 of chassis 202.

The embodiment of stove 101 depicted in FIG. 2 through FIG. 4 includes a substantially rectangular or square and planar bottom plate and a pair of substantially rectangular or square side faces 105. A curved upper surface 107 forms an arch between the pair of side faces 105. Front surface 103 of stove chassis 102 defines a cavity 120 that includes a base plate 108 and a curved or arched upper surface 111.

In the depicted embodiment, stove chassis 101 includes an array of venting apertures 138 at a lower portion of front face 103 and a set of apertures arranged in a set of clusters 136 located at an upper portion of front face 103. Similarly, the rear face 110 of stove chassis 102 includes and array of vent apertures 139 along a lower portion of rear face 110 and a plurality of vent apertures arrange in a series of cluster configurations 137 along an arch formed by upper surface 107.

In the depicted embodiment, a depth of stove chassis 102, represented by reference numeral 135 is less than a depth 235 of control module chassis 202. A stand 130 is shown as adjacent to and/or attached to front surface 103 of stove chassis 102. Stand 130 includes a pair of feet 132 resting on upper face 209 of control module 201. Stand 130 as depicted, further includes risers 133 that extend into a respective loops 134. A horizontal member 131 of stand 130 connects the two loops 134.

Stand 130 provides a support for a hair iron 150 that is being heated by stove 101 (See FIGS. 6 and 7). More specifically, horizontal member 131 of stand 130 supports a first end 151 of hair iron 150 while a second end 152 is positioned within the cavity 120 and resting on the base plate 108. Hair iron 150 is exemplary of any of a variety of straightening irons, curling irons, and the like. Hair iron 150 preferably includes a ceramic first end 151 and a ferrous or metallic second end 152. Any material that is heated by induction may be used for the second end of the hair iron. For example, second end 152 may comprise a magnetic material, a conduction material, and/or a metal. Because the effect of induction tends to occur on the surface of the iron, the iron may comprise a tubular structure, wherein the inner core is made of a lighter, non-conductive material and an outer, tubular structure made of conductive material. Steel, carbon, tin and tungsten have relatively high electrical resistivity generally tend to heat more quickly by induction. Because these metals strongly resist the current flow, heat builds up quickly. Ferro-magnetic steel heats faster because of hysterisis within the metal. Low resistivity metals such as copper, brass and aluminum take longer to heat.

Stove 101, as depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, includes an induction element 109 within stove chassis 102. Induction element 109 may be a toroid-like shaped electromagnetic element 140. In one embodiment (not depicted), desirable for it simplicity and low cost, induction element 109 is a coiled piece of wire, for example, a solenoid or a toroid, with an air or vacuum core. In other embodiments such as the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the much stronger magnetic fields achievable using a “core” of a ferromagnetic material (magnetic layer 144) such as iron is placed inside the coil. The core concentrates the magnetic field so that it is much stronger than that of the coil itself.

Electromagnet 140 as depicted includes conductive interconnects 146 wound around a toroidally shaped magnetic layer 144 to form a generally toroidally shaped winding 142. The depicted implementation of induction element 140 further includes a set of ferro-magnetic strips 148 positioned symmetrically about winding 142. Ferro-magnetic strips 148 may be added or removed from induction element 109 to control the impedance of the element and thereby control the resonant frequency of the circuit. Ideally the frequency of the signal applied to induction element 109 is close to or equal to the resonant frequency of the induction element to provide the most efficient circuit possible. In an ideal induction element, the current produced at the resonant frequency is infinite and the induction heating of a metallic element such as second end 152 of hair iron 150 is rapid. Other embodiments of induction element 109 may include more or fewer ferro-magnetic strips 148, a different number of interconnection windings 146, and/or a different physical configuration than the toroidally shaped configuration depicted in FIG. 4.

Turning now to FIG. 5, a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method 500 for heating a hair iron is depicted. In the depicted embodiment, method 500 includes positioning (block 502) a hair iron in proximity to a hair iron stove in such a way that a metal or ferrous end of the hair iron is located within a cavity defined in the chassis of the hair iron stove and surrounded by an electromagnet located in the stove. In the depicted embodiment of method 500, a second end of the hair iron is positioned on a stand or rest that is located near a front face of the hair iron stove.

Following proper positioning of the hair iron stove, method 500 includes applying (block 504) a high frequency signal to the toroidal or other configuration of electromagnet that surrounds or circumvents the hair iron. The high frequency signal may be generated by a power supply/transformer element that receives conventional 120 V 60 Hz signal from a power outlet. As the high frequency signal is applied to the electromagnet, selected parameters of the hair iron and/or stove or stove cavity are monitored (block 506) to determine when to stop the heating process by halting the application of the high frequency signal to the electromagnet.

The parameter that may be monitored include the inductance of the hair iron and/or a base plate of the hair iron stove cavity, the temperature of the hair iron or the hair iron stove cavity base plate, or any other parameter that may provide an indication of the temperature of the hair iron. In other embodiments, the monitored parameter may be time such that the high frequency signal is applied for a specified duration.

Method 500 as depicted includes determining (block 508) when one or more of the monitored hair iron or hair iron stove parameters exceeds a specified threshold. When a parameter exceeds a specified threshold, method 500 includes halting (block 510) the application of the high frequency signal to the electromagnet. Until a monitored parameter exceeds the applicable threshold, method 500 as depicted in FIG. 5 continues to monitor the parameter(s) in block 506 and determine whether the parameter(s) exceed the threshold in block 510.

Referring to FIG. 8A-FIG. 8E, an alternative embodiment of an induction iron heating system is depicted. The system comprises two main components: stove 101 and control module 201. Feet 232 are fixed to the bottom of control module 201 to support the heating system. Venting apertures 138 are formed in the housing of stove 101 to circulate cooler air from the exterior of the housing, around electromagnetic element 140, and out of the housing.

FIG. 8A illustrates a perspective view of electromagnetic element 140 comprising: magnetic layer 144, winding 142, insulating jacket 143, and ferro-magnetic strips 148. Stand 130 is positioned with horizontal member 131 at a similar height as electromagnetic element 140 so as to support an iron when an end of the iron is inserted into electromagnetic element 140.

According to one embodiment of the invention, magnetic layer 144 comprises a series of insulated magnetic wire windings of the specific gauge and turns ratio which makes it suitable for the application. Winding 142 may comprise a solid gauge wire, a twisted wire, or any other suitable electrical conductor. The induction winding may also be made from copper tubing wherein the winding may be cooled by flowing air or water through the winding during induction heating. The size and shape of the winding, whether single or multiple turns; helical, round or square; may all be selected to work depending upon the shape and material properties of the iron to be used in the induction oven.

Ferro-magnetic strips 148 may comprise any number of ferro-magnet strips and may be any sort of magnetic apparatus that controls the impedance of the element and thereby controls the resonant frequency of the circuit. The resonant frequency may be tuned to about 20 kHz to about 450 kHz by selecting different winding wire, number of wire turns and magnets.

Control chassis 202 includes: controller 210, power supply/transformer 220, high frequency signal generator 230, inductance monitor 204, temperature monitor 206, and duration monitor 208.

One embodiment of the invention may comprise a hair iron heating system that includes an induction heating stove. The stove includes a chassis defining an opening suitable for receiving a hair iron and a toroidal electromagnet. A high frequency signal generator is coupled to the toroidal electromagnet and an induction monitor may be coupled to the electromagnet. In addition, a temperature monitor and a duration monitor may also be operatively coupled to the electromagnet. The electromagnet may include copper conductors wound around an iron or other ferromagnetic core in the shape of a toroid. The toroid defines a cavity sized to receive metallic or ferrous portions of one or more hair irons. The electromagnet may further include one or more magnetic elements located on the toroid. When a metallic portion of a hair iron is located within the cavity surrounded by the electromagnet and the high frequency signal is applied to the electromagnet, AC current generated in the electromagnetic creates a time varying magnetic field within the cavity. The varying magnetic field causes eddy current heating of the hair iron.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure, without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances.

Certain exemplary embodiments of the disclosure may be described as set forth in the claims below. Of course, the listing below (as well as each claim) may be modified in form and content, and the listing is not exhaustive, i.e., additional aspects of the disclosure, as well as additional embodiments, will be understood and may be set forth and claimed in view of the description herein. Further, while the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hair treatment system comprising: a hair iron comprising a handle portion and a hair treatment portion, wherein the hair treatment portion comprises an electrically conductive material; an induction oven comprising: an oven comprising an internal cavity into which at least a portion of the iron is insertable; an induction coil encircling the cavity of the oven; and an alternating current generator electrically connected to the induction coil.
 2. A hair treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hair iron comprises a magnetic material.
 3. A hair treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hair iron comprises a material that has an electrical resistivity higher than or equal to steel.
 4. A hair treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a shape defined by the cavity of the oven corresponds to a shape defined by the hair treatment portion of the hair iron.
 5. A hair treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the induction coil comprises wire.
 6. A hair treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the induction coil comprises tubing.
 7. A hair treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alternating current generator generates between 20 kHz and 450 kHz.
 8. A hair treatment system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a magnet positioned adjacent the induction coil.
 9. A hair treatment system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a magnetic layer adjacent the induction coil.
 10. A hair treatment system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an controller in signal communication with the alternating current generator.
 11. A hair treatment system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an temperature monitor in signal communication with the oven, and a duration monitor in signal communication with the alternating current generator.
 12. A hair iron induction oven comprising: an oven housing comprising an internal cavity into which at least a portion of the hair iron is insertable, wherein a shape defined by the cavity of the oven corresponds to a shape defined by a hair treatment portion of the hair iron; an induction coil encircling the cavity of the oven; and an alternating current generator electrically connected to the induction coil, wherein the alternating current generator generates between 20 kHz and 450 kHz.
 13. A hair iron induction oven as claimed in claim 12, wherein the induction coil comprises wire.
 14. A hair iron induction oven as claimed in claim 12, wherein the induction coil comprises tubing.
 15. A hair iron induction oven as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a magnetic material adjacent the induction coil.
 16. A hair iron induction oven as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a controller in signal communication with the alternating current generator, a temperature monitor in signal communication with the oven, and a duration monitor in signal communication with the alternating current generator.
 17. A method for heating a hair treatment device, the method comprising: inserting a hair treatment portion of a hair treatment device into a cavity of an induction oven, wherein the hair treatment portion comprises an electrically conductive material; and alternating current in an induction coil of the induction oven, whereby eddy currents are generated in the hair treatment portion of the hair treatment device.
 18. A method for heating a hair treatment device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the alternating current is between 20 kHz and 450 kHz.
 19. A method for heating a hair treatment device as claimed in claim 17, further comprising cooling the induction coil by flowing a coolant through the induction coil.
 20. A method for heating a hair treatment device as claimed in claim 17, further comprising controlling the duration of the alternating current, and monitoring a temperature of the induction oven. 